Requiem of Subdued Souls

Chapter 86: Flute Of Foreboding (6)

At this time, Song Ok and Hyo Wol were making the same expressions behind Baek Eon. They knew that everything he said was right, and they would obey him unconditionally.

“…”

Seo Geom looked at them for a moment. The relationship between these two troops was awkward, and everyone knew it.

Seo Geom nodded his head without saying a word.

“Then I will leave.”

Then Zaha went out of the library.

Only the outsiders were left inside. Seol Young looked at his three hyungs.

“Sorry for worrying you.”

First, he apologized.

“I heard from the Governor. That the plaque had arrived, and as soon as I heard that, I really wanted to go, but first, I thought that the issue about Seo Jun-rang had to be handled…”

“Of course! Very well done.”

Baek Eon said that right away.

“If you had abandoned everything and come even in such a situation, we would have been disappointed. We didn’t teach that to you.”

“But it was wrong of me to make you worry. I had thought about writing a letter, but Seo Jun-rang’s business was too sensitive for the…”

“Right, right.”

Baek Eon smiled.

“It isn’t right to divulge such things anywhere. You did the right thing.”

After hearing his praise, Seol Young felt relieved. In his heart, he wanted this moment to last forever.

But…

The situation was becoming more complicated as the realization that he wasn’t a Disfigured Spirit became clearer.

Seol Young looked outside.

“No matter how difficult things get, I will make sure to solve the secret behind Seo Jun-rang’s death.”

“Yes, yes.”

“So, I guess I need to leave. I also need to ask Seo Geom-rang about something.”

Um?

The expressions of the three changed a little. Seol Young looked at them.

“Right. Do it well.”

Baek Eon said.

Seol Young glanced at Zaha before leaving.

In the past, he would have never left Zaha with his hyungs, but now that he knew his story, he was no longer as cautious as before.

But still, it wasn’t like he was leaving three rabbits in a wolf’s den.

“Then, High Governor, I will leave.”

He greeted him properly, but his heart felt other emotions.

‘He won’t bother my hyungs, right?’

Seol Young looked at Zaha with such questionable eyes. And finally, he looked at Baek Eon’s face before he left.

Zaha mumbled,

“I am quite shocked.”

He looked at all three of them, who were silent. Together, they were all staring at where Seol Young had left.

Zaha asked,

“What is it?”

“Ah, that…”

Baek Eon smiled.

“This is a bit unfamiliar. In the past, he wouldn’t have done things like this…”

“He wouldn’t have done things like this?”

“Who is the other one? Isn’t it the Blue Dragon True Troops?”

Hyo Wol continued.

“When we think of the past, he wouldn’t have cared what happened to them. He… no, with Seol Young-rang’s personality, he wouldn’t even bat an eye if this place was destroyed.”

“He would even help knock it down.”

“Right. That is why it is weird. His enemy is in trouble, so why does he care? He didn’t even come home. He came here, saying he would catch Seo Jun-rang along with them… What could this mean? Is it because he loves catching ghosts?”

“But keeping it a secret is surely strange.”

Song Ok said.

“To think that he was so considerate of the other party that he delayed meeting up with us. It is such an odd situation. When I heard about it, I thought, ‘Who is this guy?’”

“Besides, what does this mean? He used to avoid even seeing the shadows of the Blue Dragon True Troops Hwarangs, but now he goes and casually speaks with Seo Geom-rang …”

Baek Eon mumbled, unable to believe it.

“How can he change like that?”

“Right.”

Song Ok, and Hyo Wol chimed in.

“Only one thing has changed.”

All three of them turned to Zaha.

From the moment they saw Zaha in the Hwarangs’ Hall when they were just kids, they liked the man and followed him everywhere.

Baek Eon smiled.

“It has been a while since Seol Young-rang left the White Tiger Troops and received good lectures from the High Governor, and he has now changed like that. As expected, you are amazing. Can you tell us how you changed that stubborn guy?”

He looked at them.

“My only role is to watch him. Do not think about anything else.”

He told them clearly and then arrogantly added,

“But since my personality is good, he couldn’t help but be influenced by me.”

“You mean…”

Baek Eon smiled again.

“Does this mean that you admit that Seol Young-rang is not the supposed evil being that will ruin this nation?”

“I guess you all want to believe that.”

“The High Governor is much more intelligent than us, so you must have seen through everything from the start. However, you continue to follow him without saying anything about him being suspicious. Doesn’t that mean that you have something to say?”

“I don’t have anything to say. I don’t even believe in myself. You must have been wanting to ask that.”

But the three didn’t back down. Rather, they got closer to him, making Zaha quite shocked.

“What are you doing?”

Hyo Wol’s eyes shone.

“Since we are already here, I would like to ask you something.”

Meanwhile, Seol Young was going down the narrow stairs of the training grounds, guided by the Blue Dragons.

When they reached the end, a stone chamber could be seen.

“… He is your brother.”

Euljae’s voice could be heard.

“I need to find out why he has returned like that and… it is true that Seol Young-rang had solved many supernatural calamities…”

When he heard their conversation, he felt a bit embarrassed to enter, but then the Hwarangs announced his arrival,

“Seol Young-rang has come.”

Euljae went silent.

Seol Young entered the stone chamber, and he looked at the place that was illuminated with candles.

It was a prison. But there was a transparent wall where the iron bars should have been. And he could see Seo Jun tied up, unconscious, behind it.

Seo Geom, Euljae, and two other Hwarangs were keeping their eyes on him.

Seol Young looked at the transparent wall.

“This is…?”

“A prison that confines those who have committed the greatest crimes here. It is the Crystal Prison.”

Seo Geom responded.

“This is not a real solution to the problem. This is a wall that cannot be broken down with weapons. Even if all of the Black Tortoises came, it wouldn’t break.”

He drew out his sword and struck it against the wall.

Kang!

There was a loud roar, and the wall shook greatly, but there wasn’t any scratch on it.

“There are no locks in this prison, and only the person who cast the spell on it can put the prisoners inside and bring them out. Hence, those who are trapped inside have no way out.”

“I see. I’m asking just in case. What is Seo Jun-rang’s experience of escaping from that prison in his life….”

“None.”

Then it seemed like he really couldn’t escape.

“Then.”

Euljae put the Divine Dragon Flute in his mouth and began to play a song.

The melody felt so languid. Leaving everyone else behind, Seol Young and Seo Geom went outside.

Seo Geom grumbled.

“Even if we do this, he can’t escape. If that ever happens, I will run out of patience.”

“Aren’t siblings known to test each other’s limits?”

Seo Geom glanced at him.

“If he escapes, I will catch him. If he escapes again, I will catch him again. Isn’t it normal to be tired?”

“Not really. Talking to the dead isn’t always easy. Besides, I’ve made up my mind to uncover Seo Jun-rang’s story somehow, so no matter how difficult it is, I won’t be exhausted.”

“Why? You have never met my brother…”

“Do I need a specific reason? It’s just because I believe it’s the right thing to do. Seo Geom-rang, you don’t follow your own principles?”

Silence fell.

Would this guy shoot Seol Young in the back?

Such a thought crossed his mind, but Seo Geom just stayed silent and didn’t say anything. Seol Young looked at him.

“Anyway, does Seo Geom-rang agree that there is a story behind it? That is probably why you hesitated.”

“….”

He didn’t answer.

“Seo Jun-rang behaves the same as he did when he was born, but he isn’t entirely the same. For example, did he hate others touching him?”

“No.”

“Why does he keep whistling? The living can act without meaning, but the dead can’t. Each of their words and actions has a meaning. There must be a reason why he brought up the story of your childhood.”

“No. That is all a lie. Where would I have gone with my brother when I was seven years old? There is no such thing.”

Seo Geom cut him off. He had a rough tone, and his attitude was stiff, but he was still answering all of Seol Young’s questions.

Considering how he viewed Seol Young, it was quite surprising. If he did something wrong in such a situation, everything would be a mess.

“Any keepsakes?”

Taking advantage of that, Seol Young asked him.

“Do you think there would be any? I got rid of all of Hyung’s things.”

“What about the sword he used? Shouldn’t it have been kept separately?”

“Don’t say such a thing! Why would we keep a sword that tarnished the name of the Hwarangs? It’s been a long time since we got rid of it.”

“But maybe there are other swords left? Since the other swords didn’t tarnish the name of the Hwarangs, they must have been enshrined in a Sword Tomb.”

“What are you talking about? What other swords? My hyung just had one sword.”

“The sword of the other Hwarangs. I heard what Baek Eon-rang said. He said that at the time of the incident, there were two Hwarangs from your troop and two others from different troops who went on the mission.”

Seol Young said what he had been thinking about.

“In other words, in addition to Seo Jun-rang, there was another Hwarang from your troops. Even if his body was returned to his family, wasn’t his sword enshrined in a Sword Tomb?”

“…”

Seo Geom responded,

“Yes.”

A Sword Tomb was a grave for swords.

It was a safe space where the sword of a deceased Hwarang was kept so that no one could touch it. If Seol Young said he wanted to see it right away, Seo Geom wouldn’t have allowed him.

However, Seol Young first spoke about Seo Jun and then guided the conversation. He was forced to admit the existence of a Sword Tomb.

“Hae Cheon was the name of the Hwarang, but he lost his life at the hands of my hyung. The sword he used was placed in the Sword Tomb.”

“Then we can read something through that sword. It is called Memory…”

“I know. I saw it too.”

Seo Geom cut off his words.

At the time when the Demonic Sword incident happened, Seol Young used the corpse to show what had happened, and they realized the murderer had taken the form of Sa Daham.

“But it is too old.”

“It does not matter. If a strong spiritual power is infused into it, we can see traces of decades or even centuries of memories.”

Seol Young spoke confidently.

“It is clear that Hae Cheon-rang was killed, so there must be a strong impression of his thoughts left on his sword. If we can use his sword, then we can take a glimpse at what happened that day.”

“…”

Seo Geom’s eyes shook slightly. It was a bit tempting.